Kelly Services

Overview

Kelly Services was founded in 1946 and is headquartered in Troy, Michigan; it connects about 375,000 people with work each year in fields including science, engineering, technology, education and finance.^[6] Its chief executive is Chris Layden.^[6] On 30 January 2026 Hunt Equity Opportunities, an indirect subsidiary of Hunt Companies, bought 3,039,940 Class B shares from Trust K, becoming the controlling stockholder with 92.2% of Kelly’s voting Class B stock; Chris Hunt became chairman, and Kelly remained listed on Nasdaq.^[7]

Revenue for the 52 weeks to 28 December 2025 was US$4,250.9 million, down 1.9% from US$4,331.8 million, or 6.2% lower organically after excluding the MRP acquisition of May 2024.^[6] The business reports three segments: Enterprise Talent Management (US$2,005.5 million), Science, Engineering & Technology (US$1,240.4 million) and Education (US$1,010.7 million).^[6] Staffing Industry Analysts ranked Kelly sixth among US staffing firms with US$3.46 billion of 2025 US staffing revenue.^[12] Kelly’s Education segment, worth about US$1 billion of revenue, is a distinctive niche; the change of control introduces uncertainty about future strategy.

Kelly Services features

• Education segment
• Science, engineering and technology staffing
• Enterprise talent management and MSP
• Recruitment process outsourcing
• Approximately 375,000 people placed each year

Kelly Services pricing

Fee-based; not published.

Kelly Services strengths and limitations

Appears in

• Best Staffing Agencies in 2026 #5

Kelly Services alternatives and competitors

Alternatives to Kelly Services: companies ranked in the same lists.

• AGAdecco Group
• Randstad
• ManpowerGroup
• RHRobert Half
• Everforth (formerly ASGN)
• AMN Healthcare
• TrueBlue
• Kforce
• Allegis Group
• Insight Global
• Express Employment Professionals